Near Oak Harbor in Island County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

The Skagit, a stately society

By Barry Swackhamer, October 31, 2012

1. The Skagit, a stately society Marker

Inscription.

The Skagit, a stately society. . The Skagit Indians maintained several villages on Penn Cove. The paramount Skagit chief lived at Snakelum Point, southeast across the cove. The village at Monroe’s Landing was called cokwol’a. Cokwol’a was a major village of the Skwdabs, a subgroup of the Skagit, who occupied an area that included Oak Harbor, Dugulla Bay, and the lower portion of the Sakgit River. . . The people here hunted deer and ducks with nets, farmed edible camas, maintained fields of wild berries, and dug horse clams in front of Monroe’s landing. . . This potlatch house stood near Monroe’s Landing until about 1910. The traditional potlatch, or sgw’igw’i, was an occasion for relatives, friends, and different tribes to gather for ceremonies, feasting, and demonstrating strength and wealth during the winter season. The host distributed gifts to all those who attended. The guests then invited participants to celebrations at their home villages. . . The sgw’igw’i brought status to the giver and gave distant people a chance to exchange ideas. Mountain goat wool and horn from the Cascade Mountains were brought by Upper Skagit people and exchanged for dentalium and decorative shell, News was also exchanged.

The Skagit Indians maintained several villages on Penn Cove. The paramount Skagit chief lived at Snakelum Point, southeast across the cove. The village at Monroe’s Landing was called cokwol’a. Cokwol’a was a major village of the Skwdabs, a subgroup of the Skagit, who occupied an area that included Oak Harbor, Dugulla Bay, and the lower portion of the Sakgit River.

The people here hunted deer and ducks with nets, farmed edible camas, maintained fields of wild berries, and dug horse clams in front of Monroe’s landing.

This potlatch house stood near Monroe’s Landing until about 1910. The traditional potlatch, or sgw’igw’i, was an occasion for relatives, friends, and different tribes to gather for ceremonies, feasting, and demonstrating strength and wealth during the winter season. The host distributed gifts to all those who attended. The guests then invited participants to celebrations at their home villages.

The sgw’igw’i brought status to the giver and gave distant people a chance to exchange ideas. Mountain goat wool and horn from the Cascade Mountains were brought by Upper Skagit people and exchanged for dentalium and decorative shell, News was also exchanged.

Erected by Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.

Location.

By Barry Swackhamer, October 31, 2012

2. The Skagit, a stately society Marker

48° 14.417′ N, 122° 40.851′ W. Marker is near Oak Harbor, Washington, in Island County. Marker is on Penn Cove Road near Monroe's Landing Road. Touch for map. This marker is located at Monroe's Landing. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1293 Penn Cove Road, Oak Harbor WA 98277, United States of America.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on November 8, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of San Jose, California. This page has been viewed 423 times since then. Last updated on November 13, 2012. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 8, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of San Jose, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.

We are suspending Amazon.com advertising until they remove an ad for a certain book from circulation. A word in the book’s title has given rise to number of complaints. The word is inappropriate in school classroom settings.